The Press Box.

Globetrotting Couples Captures Walker Championship Playoff

December 18, 1995

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — Fred Couples won the first Johnnie Walker World Championship in 1991, and Sunday he may have won the last when he birdied the second extra hole to beat Loren Roberts and Vijay Singh in a three-way playoff.

Couples sank a 10-foot birdie putt to become the first dual winner of the event, which won't be held next year unless a new sponsor with deep pockets replaces departing Johnnie Walker.

"I played mediocre golf, snuck into a playoff and won," said Couples, who collected $550,000 for his third victory of the year to go along with his wins in Dubai and Manila.

Couples, winless on the U.S. Tour in 1995, started the final round with a one-stroke lead on the par-71 Tryall course and opened with a birdie. But he stumbled with four bogeys in the next six holes and by No. 9 Roberts was ahead.

Couples finally found his game and sank a 20-foot eagle putt on the par-5 17th.

He then birdied the final regulation hole from a similar distance to reach 5-under-par 279, tying Roberts, who carded a 69, and Fiji's Singh, who closed with a 70.

The three finished six strokes in front of American Mark Calcavecchia and German Bernhard Langer and a stunning 45 strokes ahead of last-place John Daly, who posted his third 80 to go with a third-round 84 and finished at 40-over 324.